Tanzania will need a miracle to eliminate Uganda from the ongoing CHAN 2016 qualifiers thanks to a 3-0 away victory for Cranes in Zanzibar.
A brace from Erisha Sekisambu and a penalty from Farouk Miya ensured the Cranes carry a three goal advantage and must lose at least 4-0 at Namboole to bow out.
Kawowo Sports’ Ismael Kiyonga rates the Ugandan heroes on the day.
James Alitho 7.0: Justified his choice in goal by keeping a clean sheet. He made a number of key saves to deny Amir Kiemba and Bocco and his time wasting antics were spot on. Recall, this was debut and he looked unfazed by the occasion.
Denis Okoth 6.0: He was solid defensively but offered little going forward. However, his well weighed cross to Frank Kalanda earned the Cranes a late penalty which Miya converted.
Brian Ochwo 5.0: He struggled at the start of the game and offered Shomari Kapombe so much space and time on the ball but later improved in the second period.
Shafik Bakaki 6.0: He didn’t have the best of games as he was bullied by Simon Msuva and Kevin Friday but his decision making was fine. Besides, he made necessary clearances from defence.
Hassan Wasswa 6.0: Like Bakaki, Wasswa is lucky to be part of a clean sheet keeping defence as he was often beaten to the ball by the Tanzanian attacks and if they weren’t lethargic, it would have been a different story.
Derrick Tekkwo 5.0: He was played as the lone anchorman but was really troubled by Amir Kiemba and Jonas Mkude in midfield. The reason Uganda’s defence was easily reached is because he had an average game.
Muzamir Mutyaba 6.0: He was preferred ahead of Keziron Kizito and Yasser Mugerwa but didn’t disappoint. He was involved in the first goal and made a defence splitting pass for the second. He had a decent game.
Farouk Miya 6.0: He sealed the victory with a well taken penalty but had a silent game by his standards.
John Semazzi 5.0: Didn’t have many touches on the ball and when he did, his decision making wasn’t the best. Often, he preferred to run with the ball rather than pass to his team mates.
Robert Ssentongo 5.0: He was a no show by his standards though he kept the Tanzanian backline led by Nadir Haroub on tenterhooks. He was involved in the first goal as his run gave Deogratius Munishi problems and he parried the ball into Sekisambu’s path.
Erisha Sekisambu 7.5: He was the day’s hero with two goals on the evening. On the first, he was at the right place at the right time while the second was a true finisher’s goal. Arguably Uganda’s best player on the day.
Substitutes:
Yasser Mugerwa 6.0: Replaced Semazzi and calmed down things in midfield.
Frank Kalanda 6.0: He came on Ssentongo midway the second half and won the penalty which Miya converted for Cranes’ third goal.
Keziron Kizito 6.0: He came on brace hero Sekisambu and frustrated the Tanzanians with his short crisp passes. He won a number of fouls off the Taifa Stars.
Coach Mulitin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic 8.0:
He picked a good starting eleven for the day and his substitutes were fine. Nevertheless, he needs to improve the team’s performance to match the results as 3-0 doesn’t reflect exactly what was on the pitch as the Taifa Stars out possessed the Cranes.
